Steering mechanism



R. M.-KANIK. STEERING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APII. I2. I920.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920. v

..k K WM m @Wm H R UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

RUDOLPH M. KANIK, 0F CLINTONVILLE, WISCONSIN.

STEERING MECHANISM.

Application filed April 12,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. KANIK, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Clintonville, in the county of Waupaca and State of Wisconsin, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Steering Mechanism; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in steering mechanism for automobiles, motor vehicles and the like, and pertains particularly to machines of this character having means for driving the steered wheels.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a simply constructed, readily assembled steering mechanism for four-wheel drive motor vehicles.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a simple steering mechanism in which the moving parts will have very extensive bearing surfaces sothat wear and disalinement of parts, which at present frequently occurs, may be entirely eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this sort with simply constructed means for positively excluding dust and the like from the inner working parts, such as the end thrust bearings.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a steering mechanism in which the wheel supporting spindle and the bearing pintles are lightly, yet strongly, constructed of a single casting or the like.

lVith these general objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 represents a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the parts of the vehicle axle structure in which my invention is embodied, such section being taken on the plane of the line 11 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the illustrated, embodiment of the invention, the reference character 1 denotes one end portion of a drive axle housing which is designed to be attached to the main portion of such housing by a radial flange 2. The housing supports a vertically disposed relatively elongated bearing shell 3,

fipecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

1920. Serial No. 373,104.

the inner walls of the outer end portions of which are cylindrical and receive cylindrical bearing pintles 4. The intermediate portion of the shell 3 adjacent its connection with the housing 1 is formed with a spherical enlargement 5 which communicates with the bore of said housing and directly opposite and alined with said bore the same is proyider6l with a circular spindle receiving openmg As shown, this opening -6 is mid-way the opposite ends of the shell 3 which has its top end closed as at 7 by means of a wall formed integrally with the adjacent portion of the cylindrical part of said shell, while the bottom end is open and internally screw threaded as at 8. An adjustable closure plug 9 is adapted to be threaded into the bottom end of the shell. Particularly from Figs 2 it will be seen that the shell and the housing 1 are split, the former transversely and the latter longitudinally, on a plane extended through the center of the opening 6. Flanges 9 extending from the housing and shell adjacent the walls of the split thereof provide a means for separably securing the two halves together by bolts 10.

By the provision of the two-part housing 1 and shell 3, the pintles 4 may be readily inserted into the opposite ends of said shell, these pintles being extended in. opposite directions from a carrying member which is n the form of a onepiece hollow spindle 11, the portion 12 thereof within the shell 3 and from which the pintlesiextend having an enlarged chamber adapted to receive the universal joint of a drive shaft (not shown). Inasmuch as the spindle 11 is hollow and the pintles 4 are formed integrally therewith, as well as certain parts to be hereinafter mentioned, a very light, compact and strong article is formed.

The outerend portion of the spindle 11 is designed to rotatably support a wheel of a suitable character having a hub 13. Bear- I ing elements 14 are located between the spindle 11 and the wheel hub for an obvious purpose, and the former is also provided with a radial flange 15 which carries packing 16 and is disposed in enga ement with the inner end of said hub 13. y extending the hereinbefore referred to drive shaft through the hollow spindle and connecting it with the hub 13, the wheel supported thereby will be readily rotated.

Disposed in each end of the shell 3 is a bearing plate 17, one of which seats against the top 7 and the other against the inner end of the plug 14*. An inwardly projecting bearing stud 18 projects from each lot the plates 17 and is disposed in a relatively deep socket 197, located in the outer end of each pintle 4. From Fig. 1 it will be noticed that these sockets 19 are quite deepand thus provide considerable bearing space on their inner. walls. Bearing elements 26 cotiperate with said annular walls of the sockets l9 and V the peripheral surface of the studs 18. Such grease are protected againstthe loss of the lubrication and the entrance of dust and the like by packing rings 21 which are disposed in annular grooves 22 and engaged with the shell wall. j 1 V V V From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that my invention provides a most simple way of pivotally mounting a wheel supporting spindle and a means for housing a drive shaft therein. By the positioningofithe two parts of the shell?) as hereinbefore'described and as shown, there is no danger of any foreign matter leaking into the inner parts of the shell 3 through the top th re t "I claim; p V 1. In a steering inechanism of the class described, an elongatedtubular bearing shell 7 closed at one end and open at its other and having an opening lnone side substantially inid way its ends, an adjustable closure in.

the open end of the shell, a plate disposed at each end of the shell, one of said plates positely projecting pintles extending from.

the carrying member and disposed in said shell on each side of the intermediate opening therein, said carrying member being ex tended through said opening, the outer end of each pintle having a relatively deep socket therein receiving the adjacent stud, and bearing elements disposed in each socket be tween the walls thereof and the peripheral surface of the studs.

2. In a steering mechanism of thefclass described, an elongated tubular bearing shell closed at one end and open at the other and having an opening in one side substantially midway its ends, said shell being split transversely substantially mid-way said Opening, a closure for the' open end of the shell an inwardly extended bearing stud projecting intothe shell from adjacent each endthereof, a wheel spindle having one end portion disposed in the shell, the other portion being projected from theside opening therein, oppositely extending cylindrical pintles connected with the first mentioned end of the spindle and rotatably disposed in the portions of the shellon opposite sides of said opening, the free end of each pintle having a relatively @deep socket receiving said studs, bearing elements'disposed in said sockets and between the walls thereof and the periphery of said studs, and means rotatably supportedby the projected portion of said spindle. V j

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set. my hand] at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

RUDOLPH-7M. KANIK. 

